Mass strip search at Cebu jail warranted – Abella

The stripping of inmates as part of the security process of the Cebu City jail during a raid was warranted, Presidential Spokesperson Ernesto C. Abella said over the weekend.

"Deadly weapons such as knives have been discovered, according to the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA). The action, therefore, was justified," he said in a statement released to reporters Sunday.

He was referring to the recent order to have the inmates of the Cebu Provincial Detention and Rehabilitation Center strip naked during a drug raid on the facility.

"On the concern of some groups that the action is inhumane and degrading, it is well worth considering the context. The security of the inmates and the safety of the search team was a priority," Abella said.

His statements mirror that of Chief Presidential Legal Counsel Salvador Panelo, who said that he sees nothing wrong with the mass strip search.

Abella noted, however, that the dissemination of a photo of the incident violates the inmates' right to privacy.

"[T]he dissemination of the photograph is clearly questionable because it violates the right to privacy of the inmates," he said.

The Commission on Human Rights (CHR) has already started its investigation into the controversial drug raid, while human rights group Karapatan denounced the authorities' actions.

The jail warden of the facility has already been sacked after various contraband items were discovered during the raid. — Jon Viktor D. Cabuenas/BM, GMA News